Friday links

Anyone else wonder how Coach Gentry’s conversation with Alando Tucker went last night before the game?

Gentry: Tucker, get over here.
Tucker: hey coach, what’s up?  You want me to work out with Fropez, Dragic and Duds some more?
Gentry: not tonight, Tucker, warm up with the starters.  I’ve penciled you in at the 2 tonight.
Tucker: woo hoo!  Hell yeah!
Gentry: you’re guarding Kobe.
Tucker: I need a drink.

Last night was good for the bench but there isn’t much time for moral victories at this point in the season.

Onto the links.  Really quiet week, all quiet on the Western Conference front.  But first, some Bouncing Souls/Johnny Cash, just because.

-Dr. J.E. Skeets, M.D. and his Suns eye chart.  Yeah, can’t see it, too busy punching myself in the face.

-David Falk, a weasel of Scott Boras proportions, predicts the League is in for some serious labor unrest.

I’m not sure I can deal with another lockout.  Anyone remember the last lockout shortened season?  Yeah, didn’t think so.  There’s a reason for that.  It was AWFUL.

-I’m pretty sure darn near anyone could come out on top of fisticuffs with Goran Dragic (step one, apply full court pressure, step two, victory) but Steve Nash?  I really think the Blowtorch would be biting off more than he could chew.  Something tells me our Canadian MVP is crafty, and fights dirty.

-Robin Lopez will have his number called one of these days.  Maybe.  Michael Schwartz lets us know Gentry will be giving him some run if for no other reason than his size.

I’m not quite ready to call Lopez a stiff but he clearly has a great deal of work to do if he wants to contribute in this league.

-sure, Amare Stoudemire could be traded in the offseason, but Chad Ford acknowledges not many teams will be willing to pay a steep price for a guy who won’t be sticking around.  Just a hunch, but I don’t think that whole eye thing is going to do the Suns any favors should they decide to put Black Jesus back on the block.

-Kerr tried for a do-over with the Heat.  That THUD sound you heard was the Heat front office hitting the floor after passing out from laughing hysterically.

I have nothing else nice to say about this story so I’ll go ahead and zip it (funnier when it isn’t in English.)

-Slam looks back at some player predictions and can’t help but use a vision theme for its headline.  You know, because of that whole Amare is blind in one eye thing.

-Norm Van Lier passed away yesterday.  Never knew he went after someone with a chair.  Good stuff right there.

Can you name the other seven players in NBA history with a “Van ____” last name?  You should be able to get four of them, don’t rack your brain for the other three.

-the Suns first coach and long time Chicago Bulls broadcaster Red Kerr also passed away.  Not a good week for Chicago basketball.

-the season hasn’t gone as planned, but the Suns are still having fun (maybe not Alando Tucker.)  Visit Ball Don’t Lie for video of Shaq doing his best insert name of famous soccer goalie here imitation.

-Twitter has really blown up (even I’m on there, and I’m not exactly a 21st century digital boy,) due in large part to Shaq and this kind of thing.  He’s nuts and totally hilarious.

-JA Adande has the reins on today’s Daily Dime and has this (among other things) to say about the Suns:  “They’re a temporary team with a temporary coach.”

That cuts deep.

-I haven’t actually read Bill Simmons’ piece on the NBA’s financial mess just yet, as it looks like I’ll need to set aside a solid twenty minutes, but I’m sure it’s great.  Say what you want about The Sports Guy, but he’s a fantastic NBA writer.

-Steve Aschburner weighs in on the relatively young NBA and the gift of the greats of the game still being around and involved:    “It all is something to cherish, and a reminder to tap into the memories now while they’re still vibrant, to summon the stories from those who lived them on the courts. It really is something to celebrate, that so many of the NBA’s greatest courtside seats still are filled.”

Welp, that about does her, wraps her all up.  Everyone have a wonderful weekend.  If you’re drinking, don’t drive, and if you’re driving, don’t drink.

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